In 1872, Swiss-born naturalist Louis Agassiz discovered Helix aspersa snails on a 1,375-foot mount overlooking what La Mesa and Spring Valley.
He was so surprised with finding a “European” species in California that local rancher Rufus Porter named the landmark Mount Helix.
Award-winning historian James Newland of La Mesa tells that story and many others in his new book “Around Mt. Helix,” published Monday by Arcadia Publishing.
Newland, sector manager at Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach, has covered local turf before. His 2010 book “La Mesa: Images of America” sold 3,000 copies and had two extra printings.
The new book, he says, confirms the assumption of what a “natural and cultural icon the mountain and theater/park are for all the surrounding communities.”
Mount Helix is best known for being the site of popular Easter sunrise services and weddings.
But Newland called the book a great chance to “expose the interrelated histories of Mount Helix, Grossmont, Calavo Gardens, Casa de Oro, Spring Valley, Rancho San Diego and the cities of La Mesa, Lemon Grove and El Cajon” he told Times of San Diego.
Newland, 50, says he was approached about 18 months ago by Tracey Stotz, former executive director of Mt. Helix Park Foundation, and John Mead, former president of Grossmont-Mt. Helix Improvement Association, to write a book for the 90th anniversary year of the Mt. Helix Nature Theatre.
“I collected images last fall, wrote it January-March of this year,” he says.”Probably spent about 80-100 hours directly writing.”
It’s available from the La Mesa Historical Society, the Mt. Helix Park Association, and at local bookstores and retailers (including Barnes & Noble, Costco).
The Historical Society, where he has served as president, will host a roundtable presentation in January, and he’s also scheduling a reading at Maxwell’s House of Books in downtown La Mesa.
His next project?
“I owe the College Neighborhoods a book, and am working on a scholarly article on the history of the Yosemite Grant [Act] in 1864.”
Newland also will volunteer again with the La Mesa Historical Society’s Historic Homes Tour — whose 10th annual guided visit is Saturday, Nov. 7.
